


Prayers

by Beauty_Before_Chaos



Category: Blood of Zeus (Cartoon)
Genre: Araceli reaffirms his worth by telling him he doesn’t have to, F/M, Seraphim feels the need to automatically kneel, soft x stronk, thanks Hera ya asshole
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:20:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27748147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beauty_Before_Chaos/pseuds/Beauty_Before_Chaos
Summary: Seraphim had caught a glimpse of a mysterious goddess that, according to mortal history, doesn’t exist. After finding a possible name for her highness, he seeks to pray for her company.
Relationships: Seraphim/Original Character, Seraphim/Original Female Character, Seraphim/Reader
Comments: 12
Kudos: 34





	1. Your Prayers May Save You

It was barley even midnight, when he first saw her. The young goddess had platinum blonde hair, with pale streaks or a blue only seen in the demons hopeless dreams. She had turned to him in a quiet valley, her pale skin complimented nicely by her glistening artic colored eyes. He hadn't a clue who she was at the time, all he really knew was that she was much smaller than he was. Her hair flowed down her back like a waterfall, and her posture was that of royalty. Seraphim could barley hear her breathing at the time as his foot snapped a twig, his stealth failing him as he crept up on the young woman. If he hadn't seen her chest moving slowly with the rhythm of her breaths, he may had presumed her for being one of the undead.

She disappeared as quick as she came, though. He didn't even have time to lunge at her before she seemed to almost vanish into thin air, leaving nothing but a small flurry of ice in her wake. When he finally got off the ground to look around again though, it was Hera who stood in front of him, not the youthful immortal from his hazy vision. At first he though she had just shapeshifted again, but when he asked her about what he had seen, she seemed to almost flush with rage.

Now he lays awake in his bed, staring up at the ceiling of his tent. Seraphim's head swirled with questions and mixed feelings, thoughts running wild as he tried to piece together what he believed had happened. He couldn't sit still. Tossing and turning in his make-shift palette did little to calm the storm of voices he heard in his mind. The demon wanted answers.

His bed was nothing more than a pile of hay with a torn up blanket tossed over it. It wasn't much, but it was enough for him. Seraphim was used to a humble life, a world with nothing, so even this was a little much compared to what he had in his childhood. Slowly though he sat up, grabbing a fist full of hay and pulling it up to his face before letting it slip through his fingers, watching it all fall to the ground. His breath was hot against his skin as he let out a soft sigh, rubbing his eyes before he shifted his weight with a grunt, climbing to his feet and approaching a small table at the wall of the tent.

Papers were scattered everywhere, notes and different things he had written. Seraphim didn't enjoy tormenting slaves or others in poverty, but taking those books from the old burned library earlier that day only made sense in his mind. However, he still failed to find what he was looking for. The demon king had read through almost every myth, every tall tale about the gods and goddesses that he could get his hands on. Not a single one spoke of the woman he saw.

There were no pictures in the books, no scrolls, no portraits. The only thing he had was a very messy sketch he had drawn after Hera left, and it wasn't exactly pretty. The woman reminded him of a rare jewel. Something, or in his case, someone you only came across once in your lifetime, and too little would be known about them. However there was something in his mind pushing him to fall deeper and deeper into this mind-brand. His curiosity was eating him alive as he tossed random papers from the desk, scowling and grimacing before picking up another story.

The paper was dray and grainy in his grasp as he read with narrowed red eyes. His lips were curled into an annoyed frown, and his brows were knitted together in a way that showed his true frustration. Maybe it was all just a trick of the light. Perhaps he hadn't seen anyone at all. Wait.

'Zenith being the eldest daughter of Khronus, she took on his duties becoming a slave to the timeline. In her myths she had been seen as an overworked hero, isolated and abandoned by everyone except the ice nymph and winter goddess, Araceli.'

Araceli? Seraphim narrowed his eyes slowly and began to look through the books and papers again, looking for anything that mentioned her. There was nothing. No records of a winter goddess, or an ice nymph. There were no documents containing the name Araceli at all; It was almost as if this woman, this historical deity had never existed in the first place.

His face slowly relaxed before he let his eyes flutter shut, placing the papers back down on the desk. Seraphim visualized the woman silently in his mind. Her small face turning to look at him with alarm in her eyes, her body tense and even a little bruised; She had looked so distressed. His eyes opened again as he came to terms with this information. It had to be her.

'Lucky for you, I heard her prayers.'

Seraphim remembers how Hera told him that she had heard his mothers prayers, all the way from Olympus. She had tried so hard to protect them both, and supposedly the gods had answered. So now then, what was the likelihood that they would hear him now? A traitor?

His feet padded softly against the Earth beneath his feet as he walked outside. Lifting his arm he slowly pushed the fabric of the tent out of his face before nodding his head at another demon, giving him orders to watch the camp. He doesn't know how long he walked, the cold was biting at his skin but the demon seemed unbothered by this as he slowly took a seat on the ground. 

This was stupid. There was no way they were actually listening. Nonetheless, Seraphim slowly bent over on his knees and placed his hands together, letting his eyes close once more as several small snowflakes fell to the ground around him. His voice was like velvet and finely aged wine, a sound that could make even the most prestigious women shiver. It should've been awkward, crouching and whispering to someone who probably didn't even exist, but it all came like second nature to him. 

After he finished, he slowly sat up, looking around in anticipation. Moments passed and nothing happened causing him to sigh and throw his head back in aggravation, pulling at the hair on his head before laying back over again. Thank the gods no one else was around to see him make a fool of himself for trusting the Olympians, again.

"What are you doing..?" That voice..

Shooting up quickly, Seraphim's body went tense and he balled his fists in a defensive manner, showing that he was ready to fight before his eyes landed on.. her. His breathe became caught in his throat before his arms went limp and he knelt down once more, looking at the ground. It was only when her small hand reached to lift his head up by his chin that he reacted with confusion.

"What are you doing?" The young goddess repeated again, her head tilted to the side just slightly as to convey her unending perplexment. He blinked once, then twice before letting out the breath he had been holding. Her skin was so cool compared to his own much warmer body. She was like a fallen star, so beautiful and rare. Her eyes gleamed like sapphire as he stared into them, but not for long. She had seemed to grow more skittish with each second that passed.

She pulled her hand away quickly and held it to her chest, her cheeks glowing a soft shade of pink as the blood flowed to her face. Seraphim couldn't help but find himself wishing her hand had never left his face, his head no less clear than it was in his tent. "I-.. I'm kneeling?"

"You don't have to do that."

"I don't..?"

The woman backed up a little bit before sitting on her knees in front of him. His eyes continued to wander and look her over, taking in ever little detail about her; Her hair was much shorter now than it was last time, and even her outfit was much different. How could he be sure he wasn't just dreaming and this wasn't some sort of wild hallucination sent by the Oniri? 

Slowly, the demon kind sat up from his bowing position, reaching one hand out to touch the young goddess. She could only respond in a flinch as she covered her face and turned away, making him hesitate. Seraphim whispered to her quietly before his rough and calloused hand ran down her arm gently, being careful not to cut her skin with his sharp talons. 

Who hurt her? Was that why she was bruised up the last time he saw her?

"You are, Araceli, the goddess of winter.." His voice coaxed her softly as she slowly uncovered her face, her brows tilted in a way that mimicked the expression of sorrow or caution. Maybe both. The demon let his hand fall slowly before he moved closer to her. Her lips were small and thin, coated with a faint tint of blue. Her nose was small and button like and perfectly complimented her eyes. "There are no records of you anywhere, my lady.."

She couldn't meet his eyes, he was quick to notice this. His each twitched softly before he took her chin between his index finger and thumb, pulling her face to look him in the eyes. He could almost feel the heat rush to her face as she stared into his eyes, and looking into hers was like peering into one of the more radiant crystal caverns ever to exist. He didn't have enough time to react when she threw her hands over his eyes to hide herself again, the only thing he could manage was a gasp in surprise, followed by a short laugh.

"My name is Seraphim," He asked her calmly, letting go of her face as her knees pressed gently against his own much larger ones. The demon would move to gently graze the skin of her arms, making her shiver softly and whine, a soft and quaint sound. Not once did he move to uncover his face or wrench her hands away from his eyes. "Are you going to run away again?"

He could feel her breath hit the skin of his face softly as she scooted even closer. She watched his lips curl upwards into a small smile, not a menacing one though; One of genuine curiosity and interest. Slowly, she moved her hands away from his eyes to rub down his cheeks gently, then going up to feel his horns. He let out an awkward laugh as his hands held her small arms. Now it was his turn to be bashful as he looked away from her.

"Your a curious little thing, aren't you?" His voice was rough, but not unappealing. She let go of his horns and gently traced his left eye, looking down on him with a look of hurt and discomfort, as if she understood. His own arms flexed gently against her skin as his hands moved to rest on her waist, one hand gently brushing the wings behind her back. It was a small action but it was one that made her heart skip a beat and her face flush against making her hiss and pull away, kicking and squirming back with a look of fear or hatred in her eyes. "I'm so-.. Wait, wait! I'm sorry, alright? I didn't mean to hurt you.."

He could hear her tiny heart pounding in her chest as she turned away from him, hugging her knees with a look of anger and annoyance. Her wings fluttered threateningly before he crawled over to her, watching her stare at him through the reflection in the lake. Seraphim sucked his teeth softly before making an awkward look at her, rubbing the back of his neck before something surprising happened.

"You can't just touch someone's wings like that. It's rude. Ask next time." Her voice was soft and silky, in a tone that made his own heart skip a beat. His eyes met hers again as she turned to glance at him, her brows furrowing as he stared her down. She covered his eyes once more and cried out in frustration. "S-Stop staring at me! You prayed to me, you shouldn't be this surprised!"

This time though, he caught her hands and pinned them to the ground, snarling softly before regaining his composure. She was beneath him, his body over hers as he stared down into her eyes. His face grew hot as he realized the position they were in and he moved to get off of her.

"To be fair, I wasn't expecting an answer.."

Araceli blushed skittishly as she brushed herself off, scooting away from him a little bit. She looked agitated and a little meek, but over all didn't seem to be a threat. Rubbing her cheeks softly, she shrugged her shoulders and stood to her feet. He realized then that she was barefoot. When she offered a hand to him, he blinked before taking it, getting up slowly-.. More with his effort than hers. He feared he may've just pulled her straight into his arms. No, don't think about that..

"Well, seem I'm here now.. What brings me here today, Stranger?"

She had a bright little smile, one of those you'd see on a child when it's their birthday or they find out their getting a new sibling. One that he wouldn't mind seeing everyday for the rest of his miserable life. Seraphim looked a little confused before ultimately shaking his head and chuckling softly. This was the first time he had really smiled in a long time, actually. What a strange girl she was. However now he even had more questions for her. Didn't she just offer to help?"

"Just a talk, my lady."


	2. It’s A Long Story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hera finds out Seraphim has been seeing Araceli and gets angry. Her constant assault on Seraphim over the next few nights makes him paranoid which hurts Araceli in result. The two have a lengthy talk about why the snow goddesses history is nonexistent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Triggers; Implications of Sexual Assault.

Seraphim didn't remember falling asleep the night before, but when his eyes fluttered open quietly he could already feel his muscles begin to ache. He rubbed the back of his neck softly before stretching and popping his back with a loud groan, crawling off of his bed and sitting up. He looked through the cracked mirror on his table, fixing his hair quietly before adjusting his toga with a soft breath before freezing up, his eye growing wide. In the mirror, his eyes caught glimpse of the woman in his bed, and he spun around in a dazed panic. She was so small.

It was all coming back to him now. The two of them had stayed up hours last night just talking and getting to know one another as acquaintances, and maybe even friends. Gods, she was so, so tiny. The little goddess was vulnerable to him, just lying in his bed snoozing away in complete and utter bliss. If the other demons saw a divine ethereal lazing around his bed, they would begin to question his judgment, and even his leadership.

Alright, he told himself, keep your cool. You are a mighty demon king, and you have no time to go freaking out like a child who lost his parents in the crowd. This is not so unordinary. As the leader of the back, should it not be expected he had night mates in his tent? However, that's not what she was. She was still fully clothed, her hair soft and well kept, anyone could tell she was not some sort of concubine.

Thinking fast while hearing someone approach, he gritted his teeth and picked up his cloak, throwing it over her to hide her tiny body from whoever had entered. His glistening ruby red eyes traced over her to make sure she was safe from prying eyes before turning on his heel to scold whoever had entered his tent unannounced; However it seems that was a bad decision.

"Kneel." Hera's voice was cold and demanding, so very unlike little Araceli's. Seraphim couldn't help but flinch and sigh, kneeling without being forced to this time, keeping his gaze upon the ground as she circled around him like some sort of vulture. He wanted to make some sort of snarky remark out of frustration or even anger, but he wasn't ready for whatever actions may follow it, so he kept quiet.

Even her pristine silk dress and lovely flowing hair couldn't hide her ugly heart. She was a cruel mistress, her voice was sharp like the talons of an eagle, and it was unkind to the demon's ears. He couldn't imagine what she was here for now, maybe to mock him. He had done all that she asked, all he could do now was anticipate her next moves with an abrasive tension.

"Oh don't be so stiff," Hera mused softly, dragging her hands over his shoulders making him scowl. He hated it when she touched him, he couldn't trust her. She only reminded him of when he had been berated and bruised; Of when he watched the only mother he ever knew get murdered at the hands of his cousins. Still yet her nails grazed his skin before brushing his hair to the side to rub his neck. "You've done so well for me.."

No. He knew where this was going and he could feel the anger and the hatred stirring in his chest; Of course he was just another pawn in her plan. His stomach stirred nauseously as he scowled, baring his fangs while her hands moved to drag down his chest. At the end of the day though, he knew he couldn't tell her no. She was a goddess, a divine ethereal, and he was just a mortal.

It was when a soft yawn was heard at the other side of the tent that she stopped. Gods, he was almost relieved, sweat beads appearing on his forehead as he turned to where the noise had come from. His break was short-lived as he spotted the little goddess from before raising from her sleep, rubbing her eyes softly before looking at them. Her eyes were small as she balled her fists to her chest, her face red. She looked like a dog with it's tail between it's legs after being scolded, and Hera's face said it all. That's when all hell broke loose.

"You've been fraternizing with my daughter??!" Hera screamed loudly as she turned to Seraphim, snarling before slapping him hard across the face. He could only wince and groan as he was knocked over, his hand moving to rub the stinging in his cheek, closing his eyes slowly. It was happening all over again. Of course it was. Hera roared in anger as she gripped his hair, yanking him up by his head, he could only shout angrily as he gripped her hands. "How dare you undermine me, after everything I've done for you; Everything that I've promised to give you! You sleaze around with my daughter of all people!"

"Aunt Hera!" The ice nymph shouted quickly, taking the jewel from her dress. Seraphim could only watch in surprise as it lit up, glowing in a white haze before it transformed into a small staff, one that she wielded against her mother-.. aunt? Regardless of who she was, Araceli looked hurt, and maybe even a little angry, which wasn't an emotion he could even see her feeling. "Put him down, now!"

"What?" Hera hissed angrily, narrowing her eyes as she tugged on the demon's hair again, her jaw clenched as Araceli prodded her staff at her. Seraphim couldn't even think straight as the young goddess clenched her fists, getting closer to them-.. She was defending him. A monster.

"You heard me! Drop him, now!"

The marriage goddess growled before obliging, throwing the demon onto the ground and listening to the sweet sounds of his groaning before she crossed her arms over her chest. She kicked his legs roughly before sneering at Araceli, gesturing for her to follow her outside immediately, before pushing back the fabric and exiting the dingy tent.

Araceli was quick to throw down her staff and rush to the demon's side, crouching beside him. He was already sitting up, kneeling down again, clutching his ribs as she cupped his face in her nimble and cool hands. She tilted his face up to look at her slowly, her eyes full of worry and concern-.. for him.. She cared about him. Seraphim hated it when Hera touched him; Araceli was not Hera. Her skin was just as soft, and very cool, but he much preferred her kind hands over the great queen's. "You don't have to kneel for me.."

"You're mother-.."

"My aunt," Araceli sighed, heavy emphasis on the aunt part to implicate Hera was not her true mother. She would need more time to explain next time.-.. Yes. Next time. Her lips curled into a small smile as she thought of coming back to see him again, maybe one of the only mortals who knew about her existence. "She's a bit of an airhead. I promise, you don't need to behave like that around me. I wish not to cause you any more inconvenience than I already do."

Seraphim was surprised that she would even think such a thing, his eyes widening slightly before his lips twitched upwards again, shaking his head with a small chuckle. It was his turn to cup her cheek with one of his hands, while his other one held his aching chest, a little blood dripping from his lips. "My lady, I don't think you have such an ability."

Her face flushed, oh what power he had over her. When she covered his face again, he grinned, snickering softly before moving his hand to pull her against him, only so that he could stand up again, gingerly putting her back down. However, she was short and her hands failed to shield his face, so instead she turned around, her back to him and her wings fluttering softly. He watched her take a deep breath before turning back around, taking a small bow. Surprised he was, again.

She had.. bowed, to him?

"Well, it seems I need to depart now. Hera is awful angry at me.." Araceli said slowly before picking up her staff and turning it back into a jewel, smiling slowly as the blush in her cheeks died down. Her footsteps were soft against the ground as she approached the exit, only for him to snatch her up by the arm making her yelp in surprise.

"You have to come back." He didn't mean to sound as demanding as he did, however it didn't seem to bother her as she gazed back up at him with glossy eyes. She smiled, a pretty and timid smile, before grabbing his free hand slowly, placing the jewel inside of it before squeezing it closed. She stood on her tippy toes to hug him around the neck before pulling away and approaching the exit again.

She winked at him before she left. Not a flirtatious wink, but a playful one. Slowly he glanced down at the jewel in his hand. Araceli had left it with him on purpose, and he slowly pieced it together. Of course she was coming back, she just needed a proper excuse for if she got caught. She didn't even need to explain her plan to him for him to understand her intentions. For once, he wasn't dreading seeing another Olympian. No, she made him think differently. Were there others like her? Meek and kind? Were they just as forgiving and as gentle as she was? More importantly, why was she all alone?

There were so many questions swimming in his mind, he almost contemplated writing them all down before he brushed them off and shook his head slightly. He needed to get back to planning-.. for the war. Oh gods.. What had he gotten himself into..

It was several days before he would see her highness again. Hera visited him often, angry and frustrated, taking out her woes on him. Whether it be in the form of pain or pleasure however, it was always unclear. She used him for what she wanted then left, just the same as always. He didn't cry often, not since loosing his mother, but if he hadn't had hope now, he just might have.

It was night, again. He could feel his heart race as a pair of arms wrapped around his neck. Seraphim couldn't do this anymore. He snarled quickly before turning and shoving her off of him, only to stare in horror as he realized, this wasn't Hera. Araceli had hit her back against the table, breaking it as ink from his bottles spilled all over her and papers flew everywhere. 

Her tiny heart raced as he approached her, kicking and squirming away quickly. Her eyes shone hurt and fear-.. The last thing he wanted was for her to be afraid of him. Everyone else was already cowering away from him, he couldn't stand the thought of her doing the same. She flinched when he reached out to her, oh how he wanted to pull her close and cradle her against him, whispering how sorry he was.

"I-.. I'm sorry. I-I thought.. I thought you were Hera." His voice was weaker compared to last time, his own chest heaving as he watched the tears bubble in her eyes. His own fluttered shut slowly as he sat down on his knees, not drawing any nearer to her, placing his hands on his knees. He did flinch, however, when he felt her hands gently run over his cheeks. Seraphim had to remind himself all over again that, Hera was not here, and the only company in his tent now was the little snow goddess.

When his eyes opened again, tears had streamed down her cheeks. Her dress was covered in his black ink, staining the skin of her arms and her plump breasts-.. Oh gods no. He found himself turning away with a hot face, covering his mouth as his brows began to twitch furiously. 

"My lady, you're a mess.." He said before chortling softly, unable to hold back the soft laugh that emitted from his throat before he looked back at her. She pouted softly before letting go of his cheeks and crossing her arms over her chest, the tears wetting her face making him sigh. Slowly he reached out again, frowning as she flinched. "May I..?"

Slowly, her hands grabbed his and let them rise, his eyes narrowing as he smiled, his clawed hands stroking her face to wipe away her tears. She sniffled softly before leaning into his touch and he could feel his heart skip a bit. His hands brushed away the salty pearls of sadness that decorated her face before tilting her head up to look into her eyes.

"Y-You said I'm messy!" She chirped softly before placing her hands over his eyes again. Honestly, he adored that. How she would get nervous and hide herself by covering his face. Seraphim liked it before realistically he could wrench her hands from his face at any time, but he chose not to. It built their trust. Aside from that, he just-.. liked her.. "Do.. Do you have a shirt that I could-.. could use?"

"You'll have to move your hands if you want me to get you something." He smirked softly before running his hands down her arms gently, then up to her shoulders with a soft chuckle. How tiny she was. When she shakily moved her hands, he tried his best not to stare down at her cleavage, biting his lip as he moved to stand up, rummaging through the tent quietly. All he really had was the ragged cloak of his, and that wasn't really much coverage.

He kept looking quietly before he took up a small tarp from the side, moving over to her again, with the two articles. She gazed at him slowly as he held them out to her, her hands brushing his as she took them with a curious look on her face. He expected her to leer or make a remark of disgust, but she didn't. "How do I put them on?"

He blinked once before praying for strength, sucking in his breath.

"Y-You'll need to take your dress off. It'd be best if I h-helped you." His voice was surprisingly stable despite how anxious he was with anticipation. He scolded himself and told himself not to dare think of her like that, but part of himself couldn't help it. She seemed to blush shyly before turning away from him, moving a bit before slipping off her dress, and he watched it pool around her feet. She then turned back to him, her eyes towards the ground as she covered her bare nipples with her arm, and her bottom half with her hand.

He took a deep breath before slowly drawing near, wrapping the cloak around her in a way that covered her front nicely, however left her back open. He then took the tarp and wrapped it around her from the back, before taking a pin from the broken desk and pinning it to keep it closed. Perhaps it wasn't the warmest thing, but it would do.

"Thank you, Seraphim.." His heart almost stopped as her eyes flickered to meet his own. This was the first time his name had fell upon her lips, spoken in her soft voice. He blinked once before catching glimpse of her perked nipples from the cloak, swallowing hard and nodding slightly before looking away.

They sat down quietly on the bed, a little awkward before he picked up something from the back, holding it out to her. It was her jewel. Slowly she smiled and gratefully took it, chirping softly before transforming it into a hair clip, placing it in her hair. He smiled quietly as he watched her before he remembered. Questions.

"I hope you don't mind he asking but," Seraphim paused slowly and rubbed the back of his neck before leaning back to lay upon the bed more comfortably. Her eyes watched him and sneakily passed over his chest before she pursed her lips and looked away; He was not so daft though, and most certainly noticed. He held back a soft snicker before letting his hand brush her side gently. "Why couldn't I find any records of you in the books?" 

Well that most certainly wasn't what she was expecting.

"It's.. A long story.."

Araceli said with a small frown crossing her face making him raise his brows. Slowly he scooted closer and caressed her side just gently enough to make her shiver. He was so warm. Blinking once, the winter goddess turned to him and crawled closer until she was nestled against his chest. He was surprised but made no movement to stop her. Slowly a smile crossed his face as he tilted her face up to meet his, only inches away as his breath wafted over her face.

"I have time."


	3. Favors & Gifts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Araceli has started bringing little gifts for her charge; The snow goddess introduces a new friend, and Seraphim takes Araceli for the ride of her life. Hera’s manipulations her more brutal.

"What are we looking for again?" A gruff voice called out in the middle of the forest, coming from a woman with pale salmon colored skin and black eyes. Her hair was an ashy platinum color, and four horns sprouted from her head like a crown. Her footfalls were heavy as she walked, crashing through the burnt leave of the winter season as she gazed around. Eyes landing on the young winter goddess, Hagar pursed her lips as the youthful maiden rushed around, looking in rotted tree stumps and under large rocks paying no mind to her question. 

The cool breeze blew through their hair as the wandered the woods in question, a few birds chirping here and there as the traversed along. There was no path here, and one would begin to wonder how the two even knew where they were going. Coming up on a river bed, Araceli lifted her dress and stepped into the cold water, brushing her hair from her face as she bent over and looked around.

Her hands would move through the steadily flowing stream, trying hard not to get her dress wet as she pecked and puttered around. The winter goddess went deeper into the water until it was at her knees, and Hagar clenched her jaw a little alarmed. Hagar was a Fire Gensai. If something happened to Araceli in the water, she would not be able to help her.

Thankfully, she cried out in excitement as she wrenched her fist up towards the sky, clutching something in her tiny hand. Quickly she skipped out of the water, letting her dress down slowly causing it to stick to her legs just slightly before she drew near to Hagar. She opened her hand and showed her what she had found, the Gensai peering into her palm with an unimpressed look on her face. An ugly brown rock.

"It's Tiger Iron! For the gift I'm making Seraphim!" Araceli explained with a smile. That's right, she had been working on some sort of charm bracelet for him, to commemorate knowing each other two weeks. Yes, perhaps it was a little excessive, but the little goddess didn't know the meaning of the word realistic. Her smile was bright and her eyes were even brighter as the took the bracelet out of an unknown location, showing the slot that would hold the stone. 

The bracelet itself was composed of little melded and grinded pieces of Palladium, little diamonds of flint in between, and in the center would hold a polished piece of Tiger Iron. She had carefully thought out the entire process, wanting it to be absolutely perfect for him to wear. Silently she began to wonder what he was doing. It was undoubtable the youthful maiden had begun to fancy him in the time they had met, but she was always to skittish to admit it. 

Meanwhile, at the demon camp, Seraphim leaned against the old crooked tree, rubbing his head from where he and Hera had just got into a fight days ago. She was always so angry. To recap, she was beyond pissed that he was talking to the winter goddess, and that she kept sneaking away from the heavens to see him. That didn't stop him though, Araceli's visits had become the most exciting parts of his week, though her visits weren't exactly often. She had to be careful not to get herself into any more trouble than she was in. It was admirable, actually. She was risking her own safety and reputation to come and see him, to entertain him.

Hera had got naught from him the night before. The demon had been playing a hard game of abstinence ever since that night, the night Araceli had told him the story of her hidden myths. As it turns out, Hera and the other deities of the pantheon had been intentionally covering up her existence. Seraphim remembers that, he was almost angry when he heard this, before she continued her story. According to what he had been told, there was an accident, a little over a decade ago.

Araceli had wiped an entire Polis off the face of the Earth, a freak accident. It was an event that shook the entire world, her powers going completely berserk and spiraling out of control. There were too many gaps in her memory to recall the entire tragedy, all she knew was that it was awful. Supposedly, the goddess Zenith had erased every mortals memories of the event, and Leto was tasked with destroying any and all evidence she even existed.

Seraphim didn't believe in worship. He didn't, but.. It was a sad thought. That the winter goddess would have no following, no worshippers at all, over an accident she had no control over. No one every prayed to her. There were no mortals that talked to her or told her about their day, or even gave her offerings like the others. Never had he wanted to kneel before someone so badly before. Not because he pitied her, and not because he thought himself beneath her. He believed she /deserved/ it. Such a gentle being of light, she deserved a following, a family and friends to adore her. According to her childhood tale, she didn't get much of that.

Turning on his heal and entering his tent quietly, Seraphim let his ruby eyes gaze over the fixed up table he had pieced back together form when he threw her against it. Fresh bottles of ink laid on the flat surface, accompanied by new stacks of parchment, most of them untouched. There was also a new book; A book he was writing himself. Beside it was a small, poorly woven basket with several little things inside of it.

A small bird skull, a piece of charcoal, and an old preserved tulip were some examples. They were all gifts, from her. Gifts all to him. Oh to be in the favor of a goddess. Araceli's love was nothing like Hera's disgusting and convoluted vision of infatuation. Her eyes shimmered like sapphires, her cool hands against his face.. Every time he saw her, the war was pushed to the back of his mind. 

Truth be told, he was procrastinating, and Hera knew it. Unbeknownst to him, so did Zeus. The god of thunder knew love when he saw it, and relief soared in his heart when he saw the two interact. He turned a blind eye every time he watched Araceli leave Olympus, only to have his ear chewed off later by his wife. Truth be told, he was depending on Araceli to end this. Neither of them knew that though. As far as they knew, they were just two friends.

Hearing the familiar chirping of a certain snow goddess outside his tent, Seraphim hid his scars under his cloak and approached the tarp, pulling it back to see his lady and someone entirely new. He tried to smile, but he couldn't stop his face from twisting into one of confusion, his eyes peering over at the Fire Gensai in perplexment. 

"Seraphim, this is Hagar! She's kinda like my guardian. Hagar, this is Seraphim, my friend." 

Guardian? Araceli didn't need a guardian. Even if she did, he would be more than enough protection for her, and he would keep her from harm as she had done for him. As if reading his thoughts, Hagar leered and stuck her tongue out at him, picking Araceli up by the waist making her squeal. What a delightful sound, it fell pleasant upon his ears.

However the sight of Hagar trying his patience was unkind to his eyes as he followed them into his tent. Silently he prayed she would not be staying the night. After she set the girl down, her feet padded gently against the ground before she sprung into the demon's arms, catching him off guard. Seraphim groaned softly, not of pain but of shock, his arms looping around her waist before he regained his barring and he snickered, pulling her up to hold her properly. "Well aren't you charming? It's been nearly three days; I suppose this means that you missed me then?"

Araceli's giggles strung out in a way that made his eyes squint just a tad. The demon stood tall and held his head high, while his pupils seemed to dilate a little bit as he focused his gaze upon her. All the while Hagar stood quietly to the side, her arms crossed over her chest as she watched them mingle, seeming a bit annoyed. Though she behaved like an angry step sister, the truth was she was only looking out for the ice nymph, in debt. That's a tale for another time.

"What have you for me today, mon ange?" Seraphim mused softly, his firm hands holding her securely by the waist, his lips curling into a smile as she gazed into his eyes, her dainty hands moving to stroke his hair back. Slowly, she patted his shoulders and he lowered her down to plant her feet softly upon the floor, turning to rummage through her pockets before taking something out of them.

Araceli held her hand out, and he was quick to reach for the trinket, however he seemed more interesting in clutching her hand, his clawed fingers dragging across her smooth skin making her shutter and look down at her feet. He narrowed his eyes with a smirk, his shoulders back before he examined what she had brought to him. "I-It's a key."

It was. A small and rusty little key with a tiny arch towards the top, some decorative coils around the shaft and a two pronged tip. He blinked once as he turned it over in his hands before sighing and shaking his head with a soft chuckle. Gingerly, the demon gripped her hand and offered a small bow, raising her hand to his face to brush his rough lips over her knuckles. 

"It is a wonderful gift, princess." Seraphim smiled, letting his eye lashes flutter against her skin softly before he let go of her hand, watching her heat up and giggle softly, rubbing the back of her neck skittishly. Hagar sneered and cleared her throat, stomping one foot against the ground before stepping closer making Seraphim pout and roll his eyes. He turned to the desk to place the key in his basket, Araceli holding her breath as she looked at his back muscles, feeling her heart race.

Hagar gawked at her and smacked her softly in the arm making her yelp, the soft sound making the demon whip around and grip his bident defensively. The two ladies froze up in surprise as they eyed up the feverishly suspicious demon king, Hagar swallowing harshly before holding up her hands to show she meant no harm. 

Realizing there was no danger, Seraphim set his bident back against the wall and folded his arms over his chest, looking away awkwardly before clearing his throat. It was then that the scars from Hera's assault were shone, making Araceli gasp and pace over, her cool hands gently brushing the still healing open wounds. He winced softly and stepped away, looking down at her with resistance in his eyes before she furrowed her brows and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Seraphim-.."

"No." He cut her off sternly, turning away from her before she walked to his other side, making him grimace and turn away again. His feet dug into the ground as he covered his wounds with his cloak, hearing her groan and huff in frustration, all the while Hagar snickered and watched from the sidelines.

"Seraphim!"

"I said no."

"You turn around right now!"

"Make me." Instant regret filled his chest as he realized what he had just said, tensing up and clenching his jaw before glancing down at her. He was behaving like a child who didn't want to take their medicine because it tasted bad when they were sick. It was when his legs began to feel cold that he gasped and looked down. She had frozen his feet to the ground up to his knees, trapping him in a block of ice.

Araceli them hummed smugly and walked in front of him, smirking triumphantly before moving to grab his cloak. She shrugged his touch off in defiance before she whined and gripped the fabric, tugging it away from him. He clawed to get it back, but failed as she tossed it towards Hagar. The woman picked it up and sniffed at it before faking a gagging sound.

"Stop fighting me." Araceli challenged as she examined his wounds. He could only sigh and give in quietly as she began to doctor him up with ice. Gods it was cold, but it would seal the wounds and give him at least a little comfort. The ice around his legs eventually dissipated, and by that time she was finished. 

She took some scraps of fabric that were laying around to wrap them up, he was seated on a barrel as he quietly watched her, examining her body language. She stood in a slightly slumped position, showing her submission. Her feet faced him, and her head was held somewhat high. Her legs were shifting the weight from one to the other every now and them. Such smooth, well toned legs-.. They would probably be great in battle! Heh...

When she finished properly, she smiled and let his hands go, he muttered a quiet thank you as Hagar rummaged through his desk, making him call out loudly. Seraphim stomped over quickly and watched as Hagar pulled out a few papers, laughing and showing what was on it. It was a bunch of sloppy drawings of the ice nymph and winter goddess, none of them were perfect, but you could definitely add art to the list of the demon's proficiencies.

"Aww really, Seraphim you're great at drawing!" Araceli chirped obliviously as she looked at the drawings, smiling as she took them up and tilted it to different angles to see it better. There was minimal color, but it didn't seem to bother her. The demon could only groan and punch Hagar in the arm as she made face smooching faces at him, leading to a small fight. 

They stopped quickly when Araceli turned to them in confusion, acting as if they hadn't been doing anything at all. She shrugged quietly and continued looking before putting them down and walking over to sit on Seraphim's bed, humming softly. The two continued to glare at one another before a soft roar could be heard from outside.

Jumping up quickly, Araceli sprinted outside making the two tense up and shout after her, running after her. Outside was a strange hybrid of lion, goat, crow, and alligator. The beast flicked it's ear softly before opening it's mouth to let out a loud yawn, causing Araceli to beam and rush over to it. It tensed up in surprise before Seraphim snatched her up, pulling her tight against his chest. His large arms wrapped around her as he panted in alarm, sighing in relief before she whined.

"I want to pet it.." 

"Absolutely not." Seraphim snapped quickly in a panic. Araceli pouted sadly up at him before sighing and going limp, moping in response. He tried to hold a straight face as Hagar made faces at him, making him feel guilty. Moments of silence passed before he let out a soft groan and sat the snow goddess down, gesturing for her to approach the monster. "Her name is Absinthe."

Araceli beamed with stars in her eyes as she tip toed over to the creature, her master gesturing for her to behave and play nice. Slowly she reached her hand out towards Absinthe's snout, stopping quietly in hesitation, however she didn't have to move anymore, for her damp snout met her hand slowly. The winter goddess grinned happily and began to pet and brush the creature softly, running her hands through her wild mane.

It was when she scratched behind Absinthe's ears that she began to purr softly and groan, turning to lay over on her back, her wings flapping softly as she exposed her belly to the youthful maiden. Seraphim couldn't help but smile quietly as he watched her climb onto Absinthe's body and rub her belly softly making her roar and turn back over, pinning Araceli under her and nipping her gently and playfully.

"Can we ride her?" Araceli asked with pleading eyes as she clasped her hands together, making him wince and rub the back of his neck quietly, looking away from her. He didn't want to meet her eyes, because he knew that if he did he wouldn't be able to resist her request. "Hagar, you'll have to wait here, I don't think all three of us should go at once, plus I don't want to hurt the baby."

Bingo. Seraphim quickly turned back to her and smiled helping the winter goddess up. Absinthe most certainly was not a baby, and could take three people, but as long as he could get Araceli alone and to himself for a little while, he didn't mind. This was going to be a long ride. 

"Alright, hop on-.. Nah ah, in front of me. I don't want you flying off."

They flew around for hours. Seraphim just showing Araceli the world. She hadn't been here in years, and it was nice to finally see how its grown and changed. However when the passed over the burned Polis, her lips would curl into a sad frown. She didn't know what had happened. The goddess didn't know that he and his people were souly responsibly for all the damage.

When they landed, the three exchanged a few more conversations before they all ended with goodbyes and the winter goddess and demon exchanged a short hug before they departed, leaving him already missing her. He didn't get to miss her long before Hera arrived.

It was the same as every other night, she would try to come onto him, he would shrug her off and tell her he wouldn't sleep with her, and she would get angry. However, it was different tonight. She didn't even try to seduce him as she circled around his kneeling body like he was some sort of meal.

"She doesn't love you."

This caught him off guard. Seraphim's lips parted as his mind flashed to images of Araceli, and his brows furrowed. She knew they had been meeting. Of course she did, how couldn't she have known; They had already been caught once after all. She continued.

"She could never love someone like you. You're a monster, Seraphim. A creature of darkness. You already hurt her once. You don't actually believe you can make her happy. Does she know that you are the mastermind behind the smoldering world around you?" Hera asked him, grabbing his chin harshly before sneering down at him and spitting in his face. He hissed softly and reached to hit her before she slapped him to the ground. "You, will never deserve her. You're demon, are disgusting. You're better off looking for a night whore to warm your bed, because you're an moron if you believe such a purebred would sleep with you. How does it feel, to be so worthless and pathetic?"

Her words cut him deeper than any knife could, his throat burned as he breathed deeply, holding his face and sneering angrily at the ground. She was lying. Her had to be lying. Araceli was kind to him, and would never see him as a monster... right? I mean sure he had... killed a few hundred people... and enslaved the survivors.. maybe burned a dozen villages to the ground...

Hera chuckled softly and pulled his hair once more before shoving him over onto his fire pit, the hot coals spilling out and burning him making him groan loudly in pain. Hera watched him with hatred and malice in her eyes before crossing her arms over her chest and sucking her teeth. "Don't forget who you belong to, Seraphim. You do my bidding."

Hearing quick footsteps enter his tent, Seraphim was surprised when a smaller demon helped him up, brushing him off quickly. He looked down with surprise in his eyes, clouded by the pain. A young demon woman with short white hair and the same ruby red eyes, looking concerned and alarmed before speaking in a calm voice.

"Are you alright, My Lord?"


End file.
